Moisture Content Readings

[Stax]

Okay...so I got a moisture meter from Lowes. Darn thing was only $10 bucks. The first pic should be a silver maple split about 9 months ago. Before that, it sat as rounds in my buddies back yard. 17% moisture content. The next reading should be Ash at 11% split about a year and a half ago. My third reading was the Ash score I just picked up almost 2 months ago. Just under 20% already. I freshly split all splits again before taking the readings.

 

[cptoneleg]

Wow you got your wood down there where its supposed to be. Just for the heck of it I would check it in some wood that you know isn't dry.

Good Luck

 

[CTYank]

Check again in late Aug- should be even better. So long as it doesn't get rained on, or it's "feet" wet.

 

[soupy1957]

(Yoda voice) ah.........have found enlightenment have you?! Split the split again, and see what the inside says............

-Soupy1957

 

[cptoneleg]

(Yoda voice) ah.........have found enlightenment have you?! Split the split again, and see what the inside says............

-Soupy1957

I was going to say the same but he said he resplit it, some of the stuff is a 1and 1/2 old could be

 

[DanCorcoran]

Your readings should be taken with the two points of the meter parallel to the grain. I can't tell on the other two, but the center photo appears to show that the holes are across the grain, which will give a lower reading.

 

[gzecc]

Touch the palm of your hand with the probes (don't draw blood), get a consistent reading. Tell us the reading. Seems low to me.

 

[Woody Stover]

Seems low to me.

That's the meter I've got. When I burned some wood that read 18%, it still hissed. 16%, I couldn't hear any hissing.

Darn thing was only $10 bucks.

I thought I paid 25 or 30 bucks at Lowe's for mine. What the heck??

 

[Battenkiller]

Looks good to go to me. One thing, though. It looks like you just split a little off the inside point to get a fresh surface. That was the thinnest part of the split, so it was also the driest part. Next time, get a reading from the inside of the thickest part. Split through the bark and measure about an inch or two from the bark edge. Bet there will be a couple points difference.

 

[Stax]

Looks like I ran into the Moisture Meter Police. Anyhow, just wanted to get a meter and test it out. I wasn't trying to show how dry my wood is. If anything, was just sharing information regarding wood types, seasoning time and readings. Soupy, I did resplit before I took the readings. Thanks for the advice.

 

[gzecc]

We are all wood obsessed, especially with moisture content. You opened a can of worms. Now you need to put them back.

 

[Kenster]

I paid $30 for that MM at Lowe's! Someone has reported on here that this, or most, Moisture Meters are not calibrated for cord wood and that these meters will indicate about 5% on the high side for checking firewood. I've never had any problem burning anything that this same MM indicates below 25%.

I'm just looking for a ball park figure anyway. Not expecting great accuracy out of a cheap meter.

 

[cygnus]

Yoda: "Behind the bark the moisture you will find."

 

[gzecc]

I agree on the cheap meters. Look for a relative #. I think mine is amazing for $15! The one thing it repeatedly shows me is how long oak takes to season.

 

[Stax]

Same here with the relative readings. $10 bucks well worth it.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I don't have one but know the wood is dry enough to burn nicely.

 

[cptoneleg]

Looks like I ran into the Moisture Meter Police. Anyhow, just wanted to get a meter and test it out. I wasn't trying to show how dry my wood is. If anything, was just sharing information regarding wood types, seasoning time and readings. Soupy, I did resplit before I took the readings. Thanks for the advice.

:lol: :lol: Moisture Meter Police thats funny

 

[cptoneleg]

Touch the palm of your hand with the probes (don't draw blood), get a consistent reading. Tell us the reading. Seems low to me.

Never tried that I got a 33 now whats that mean?

 

[gzecc]

Touch the palm of your hand with the probes (don't draw blood), get a consistent reading. Tell us the reading. Seems low to me.

Never tried that I got a 33 now whats that mean?

Low thirties is the usual reading from the palm of the average hand. It just a test reading. Yours seems accurate.

 

[smokinj]

split it again and check the fresh area see what you got.

 

[cptoneleg]

Touch the palm of your hand with the probes (don't draw blood), get a consistent reading. Tell us the reading. Seems low to me.

Never tried that I got a 33 now whats that mean?

Low thirties is the usual reading from the palm of the average hand. It just a test reading. Yours seems accurate.

What the hand or MM?

 

[gzecc]

Touch the palm of your hand with the probes (don't draw blood), get a consistent reading. Tell us the reading. Seems low to me.

Never tried that I got a 33 now whats that mean?

Low thirties is the usual reading from the palm of the average hand. It just a test reading. Yours seems accurate.

What the hand or MM?

Both!

 

[Battenkiller]

I paid $30 for that MM at Lowe's! Someone has reported on here that this, or most, Moisture Meters are not calibrated for cord wood and that these meters will indicate about 5% on the high side for checking firewood. I've never had any problem burning anything that this same MM indicates below 25%.

I'm just looking for a ball park figure anyway. Not expecting great accuracy out of a cheap meter.

It's not an "across the board" 5% difference, it's a whole different way of calculating the MC. The 5% difference is only correct at a reading of 25% on the meter. With firewood, we want to know what % of the total weight is water. With lumber and wood technology (the use the meters are designed for) they want to know what % of the total fiber content in the wood is water.

For example, if the resistance moisture meter reads:

- 50%, water content by weight is 33%

- 33%, water content by weight is 25%

- 25%, water content by weight is 20%

- 20%, water content by weight is 17%

- 15%, water content by weight is 13%

- 10%, water content by weight is 9%

As you can see, because of the different formulas used to calculate MC, they become closer to each other the lower the MC goes, so the meter becomes much more accurate for firewood use at the lowest MCs - the ones we never see in the real world. ;-)